Latch assembly for closure



Aug. 20, 1968 cs. BANSE 3,397,905

LATCH ASSEMBLY FOR CLOSURE Filed Dec. 15, I965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR GEOQGE BANSE 3& Jade; E Mttys.

Aug. 20, 1968 BANsE 3,397,905

LATCH ASSEMBLY FOR CLOSURE Filed Dec. 15, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lNVENTOD BY GEOQGE BANSE United States Patent 3,397,995 LATCH ASSEMBLY FOR CLOSURE George Banse, Sterling, Ill., assignor to National Manufacturing C0., Sterling, 111., a corporation of Illinois Filed Dec. 15, 1965, Ser. No. 514,089 4 Claims. (Cl. 292-5) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE To the door jamb is fastened a strike having a diverging Opening in which is pivotally mounted a trip catch with an aperture to accommodate a first padlock. A bar is slidably mounted through the door so that a first end of the bar engages the trip catch when the door is closed. The second end of the bar is formed into a parallelepiped and passes through an aperture in a door handle on the opposite side of the door, an aperture being included in the second end to accommodate a second padlock between the door handle and the body. The parallelepiped is loosely engaged by the door handle so that the bar is pivotable and may accommodate slight misalignment with the strike.

This invention relates to latches and has to do more particularly with a new and improved latch of the socalled automatic type, and more particularly an automatic door latch for. all sliding doors, such as: wood, metal-clad, metal, and corrugated metal and fiber glass doors. The automatic door latch of this invention may be used on single, bi-parting, and by-passing doors. The automatic latch of this invention is also equally applicable to overhead doors and particularly sectional sliding doors of wood, metal or fiber glass.

Prior to this invention, automatic latches were primarily used for latching a swingable or sliding member such as a swinging or sliding door or gate to a relatively fixed member such as a frame or post. When used in this manner, such latches have included a latching bar which is rigidly fixed to the face of the swingable member and projects beyond the face edge thereof, a strike fixed to the relatively fixed member and having a portion projecting upwardly therefrom and formed with an outwardly divergent opening in position to receive the latching bar, and a latching dog pivo-tally supported in the projecting portion of the strike in position to engage and retain the latching bar in latching position. When the swingable member is moved into closed position, the latching bar enters the divergent opening in the strike and cams up the latching dog. Upon further movement of the bar into latching position, the dog falls by gravity into latching relation with the latching bar. The latch can only be unlatched by raising the latching dog out of latching relation with the latching bar.

In accordance with the following description of an embodiment of the present invention, a strike of the above type is used in combination with sliding doors wherein the strike is operatively mounted upon the door jamb contiguous to the edge of the sliding door when in its closed position. The latching bar is mounted for sliding movement through the door to provide a latch and locking device that will automatically latch in the normal manner when the sliding door is closed, and which can be opened from both the inside and the outside of the door. The aut matic latch of this invention is primarily for sliding doors as used in closures for buildings, between inner connected rooms of buildings and the like, and for closures for garages used in connection with homes. The automatic door latch of this invention may, however, also be used in connection between swinging doors, gates or fences 3,397,905 Patented Aug. 20, 1968 and other closures where it is desirable that, when the gate is closed by a latch and looking device of this invention, it will automatically latch and yet may be opened from within the fenced enclosure or outside thereof. The automatic latch of this invention may also be used in connection with large swinging doors such as are used in older types of garages for the home.

An object of the invention is to provide a new and improved automatic latch and locking device that will automatically latch when the movable door is closed and yet be openable from the inside or the outside.

Another object of the invention is to provide an automatic latch which is so constructed that it not only can be opened from both sides; but that it can be padlocked from both sides and yet be opened from either side without removing both padlocks. I

Still another object of the invention is to providean automatic latch which, if either the inside or outside padlock is removed, the movable door can be opened from that side.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a latching bar for an automatic latch of this type which pulls out so that it is flush with the inside of the movable door and the doors can by-pass without catching.

A further object of the invention is to provide an automatic latch of this type so if the outside is locked, and the inside lock is removed and the trip lever of the automatic latch is lifted, this permits the latching bar to disengage from the latching dog and the movable door may then be opened.

Astill further object of the invention is to provide a door handle for the movable door wherein the handle acts as a guide for the latching bar or pull bar of the automatic latch, with the door handle facilitating the opening of the movable door.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a latching bar which is cylindrical in shape and preferably fits in a tubular sleeve of the movable door to eliminate binding and which may be flattened where it goes through the door handle to provide a shoulder which prevents the latching bar from becoming detached and being lost.

Still another object of the invention is to provide complementally formed locking means on the latching bar and the strike to prevent outward movement of the latching bar unless the latching bar is rotated from its locking position to its position to be detached, so that the movable door may be moved by unlocking the latching bar exteriorly of the movable door.

Another object is to provide an automatic latch which will be operative even if the latching bar and strike are somewhat misaligned.

A further object is to provide an automatic latch which will not be damaged in use even if the movable member such as the sliding door is slammed shut with considerable force.

Still another object is to provide a new and improved automatic latch which is simple in construction, inexpensive to make, strong and rugged, and will not become inoperative or damaged even when subjected to relatively severe use.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following description taken in connection with the appended drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view, partly in section, of a sliding door employing the automatic latch of this invention;

FIG. 2 is an isometric view illustrating one portion of the latch of this invention in an open position;

FIG. 3 is an isometric view illustrating the other portion of the latch of this invention;

FIG. 4 is a plan view, partly in section, of a modified form of automatic latch of this invention for a sliding door as illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. is a front elevational view, partly in section, of the modified embodiment of the automatic latch of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view, taken along lines 6-6 of FIG. 5, looking in the direction of the arrows, with the latching bar removed.

It is to be understood that the automatic latch of the present invention may be employed for latching sliding doors whether horizontally movable or vertically movable, and it may also be used for latching swingably mounted gates, doors and the like.

For the purpose of illustration, there is shown a portion of a horizontally slidable door 1 which is slidably supported in a door frame 2 which includes a track 3 at the bottom suitably formed at the floor of an enclosure or building with which the slidable door 1 is utilized. The door 1 is thus mounted for slidable movement in the door frame. When in the closed position the door is adjacent a door jamb 4 with the sliding door 1 abutting a stop 5 operatively mounted within the track, or otherwise secured to the door jamb to limit thesliding door in its closed position. An automatic latch 6 of the present invention includes a keeper assembly which is mounted on the frame 2 adjacent the free edge of the sliding door 1 when the door is closed and a latching bar assembly which is mounted on the door.

As shown, the automatic latch 6 includes a strike or keeper 7, a latch bar 8, a latching dog 9, and a door handle 10. The door handle is substantially U-shaped having olfset portions 11, which may be suitably affixed to the sliding door by bolts, rivets or other securing means 12, in such a manner that the door handle may not be readily detached to provide entry within the building by an unauthorized person. It is preferred within the scope of the invention that the door handle should be afiixed to the sliding doors by blind securing means which may be securely affixed to the door on the inner side thereof, as it is well understood in the art.

The handle 10 which may be either mounted as shown in the vertical position, or in a horizontal position depending upon whether the door is to be moved horizontally or vertically. The sliding door 1 is provided with a cylindrical opening 13 which receives a sleeve 13a in which the rod-like latching bar 8 is reciprocably fitted. The latching bar at its outer end has a flattened portion 8a forming a parallelepiped which is complementally formed to a slotted opening 10a in the handle 10. The slot 10a is in alignment with the opening through the sleeve 13a in the door 1. The junction between the cylindrical portion of the latching bar 8 and the flattened portion 8a provides a pair of shoulders 14 which prevents the latching bar from being removed from the rear side of the door as shown in FIG. 1. An S ring 15 which extends through an opening 16 in the flattened portion 8a of the latching bar prevents removal of the bar 8 from the front side of the door as shown in FIG. 1, and it provides a convenient finger grip for pulling the latching bar out of engagement with the latching dog as will be described later. The handle 10 thus acts as a guide for the latching bar 8 as well as a door handle to facilitate opening of the door.

The slidably mounted latching bar may be pulled out rearwardly as shown in FIG. 1 so that the other end thereof is flush with the inside of the door whereby the sliding door may by-pass another door without interference. The sleeve 13a is preferably formed of metal and suitably lubricated for mounting the sliding latching bar 8, though it is within the scope of the invention that it may be formed from nylon. Pressed in place, the nylon tubing provides a lubricated surface for the metal latching bar.

The keeper or striker 7 is formed with two flat base flanges 17 which are secured to the door frame 2 and/ or to the door jamb 4 by suitable securing means such as rivets 18 extending through apertures in the flanges 17 and into the door jamb 4. Joining the base flanges 17 is a U-shaped portion 19 extending out of the plane of the flanges 17 and outwardly from the door jamb 4. The U-shaped portion 19 is formed with an outwardly divergent opening or notch 20 which terminates in a substantially circular and horizontal slot 21 adapted to, receive the latching bar 8 when the door l is moved into closed position. In view of the fact that the opening 20 is divergent outwardly, the edges thereof provide a camming action which guides the latching bar 8 into the circular shaped slot 21 as the door 1 is closed.

The latching dog 9 is 'pivotally mounted in the space between the sides of the U-shaped portion 19 as by means of a rivet 22 extending through such side portions. The latching dog 9 is formed with a notch 23 outwardly of the pivot 22 and positioned to receive the latching bar 8 therein. The edges of the notch 23 on either, side thereof are generally parallel, and the latching dog 9 is so positioned when the latching dog is in its open position (not shown), the lower edge of the notch 23 is substantially in alignment with the lower edge of the opening or outwardly divergent notch 20. Thus, when the latching bar 8 is moved into the circular shaped slot, the turning moment of the latching dog 9 is such that the gravity actuated latching dog 9 moves downwardly into latching position, as shown for example in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2.

The latching dog 9 is provided with an opening 24 in the portion thereof which is opposite the opening or outwardly divergent notch 20 when the latching dog 9 is-in the latching position so that the shackle or bow of a padlock 25 may be passed through the opening 24 to lock the latching dog 9 in its latched position. v

The latching dog 9 is also provided with a handle or finger piece 26 at its outer end by which it may be moved to an unlatched position to permit the latch to be opened. In the dash line position shown in FIG. 1, the finger piece 26 is in the raised position for un'latching the latching dog 9 from the latching bar 8. In this raised position, the finger piece 26 is so formed that when it abuts the door jamb 4, for example, it must be positively held in this position by an operators finger since upon release of the finger piece 26 the latching dog 9 being unbalanced and under the influence of gravity automatically closes. In order to release the latching dog 9 from the latching bar 8, a positive force must be applied to the finger piece 26 to rotate the latching dog 9 out of engagement with the latching bar 8. The latching dog 9 is, however, so shaped that as the latching bar 8 moves into engagement therewith as illustrated in FIG. 2, the latching dog 9 is cammed upwardly about its pivot 22. This camming movement permits the latching bar 8 to enter the circular shaped slot 21, after which the latching dog 9 under the action of gravity immediately closes and locks the latching bar 8 hits position within the automatic latch 6.

When it is desired to padlock the door from both sides as illustrated in FIG. 1, a padlock 25 may be used for locking the latching bar by passing the shackle or bow of the padlock 25 through an opening 29 formed in the latching bar as illustrated in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3.

It is also within the scope of the invention where such an automatic latch is used on older building constructions that the door frame may have sagged or the door has also sagged because of a faulty track either in the floor or an overhead track, and when this does occur, it is preferred to use a modified sleeve construction 13a providing an elongated and tapered slot 13b extending through the door. Thus, if it is desired to use the modified sleeve construction 13a, this sleeve 13a provides an elongated opening upon the inner face of the door which will permit an angular movement of the latching bar 8. When used in this manner, the outer opening of the tapered sleeve 13a has enough clearance to provide an angular movement in conjunction with the slotted opening 10a, which may be provided with additional clearance if necessary. When this modified sleeve 13a is used, it is mounted on the door in the same manner as the preferred cylindrical sleeve 13a, in a position in alignment with the keeper or strike 7, so under normal circumstances, the latching bar will be in alignment with the notch 20, and more particularly with the circular shaped slot 21. When the latching bar 8 is not engaged with the keeper 7, the lower edge of the slot formed by the modified sleeve 13a provides a guide and maintains the latching bar 8 in substantially a horizontal position and in alignment with the divergent opening 20 in the strike 7. Thus, when the door is closed, the latching bar 8 will move into the divergent opening 20, and into latching position. It should be noted at this point, that the guide sleeve 13a serves to prevent strain on the door handle 10 when the door 1 is shut and particularly if the door should be slammed shut. It will be seen when the door is closed, the latching bar 8 will strike against the inner edge of the circular shaped slot 21, thus creating more or less force on the free end of the latching bar 8, and the guide sleeve 13a prevents the latching bar from damaging the handle 10 or even pull the latching bar 8 out of position.

The pivoting action of the latching bar 8 within the elongated opening provided by the guide sleeve 13a permits the latching bar 8 because of the clearances provided by the guide sleeve 13a and the opening in the handle permits the latching bar 8 to pivot through a substantial angle. In this construction, if the sliding door or door frame sag either by reason of sagging of the door frame or the sliding door on its tracks, the latching bar 8 will still be permitted to be moved upwardly by the lower edge of the divergent notch 20 and into latching position without damaging the latching bar 8 or its connection to the handle 10, or to the strike 7. On the other hand, if the latching bar 8 were not pivotally mounted in this manner, but were rigidly supported, damage might well result should the latching bar 8 not be in perfect alignment with the notch 20 of the keeper 7.

In operation, when the door is closed, the latching bar 8 enters the divergent opening 20, and if it is not in alignment with the circular shaped slot 21, it is cammed into such alignment by one or the other of the edges of the divergent opening or notch 20 and so enters the circular shaped slot 21. At this time, the latching bar 8 rides along the lower edge of the notch '23 in the latching dog 9 and causes the latching dog 9 to rotate clockwise as viewed in FIG. 2, about its pivot provided by the rivet 22 and into latching position as shown in FIG. 2. Once the automatic latch 6 is latched, the sliding door 1 cannot be opened until the latching dog 9 is moved manually out of latching position as shown in 'FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, and into unlatched dotted position as shown in FIG. 1 by the finger piece 26.

The latch is fully automatic in its closing action, in that it is necessary merely to close the sliding door, during which action the latching bar will move into latching position, and the latching dog 9 will move into latching position without further manipulation on the part of the operator. It should be noted that the latching dog 9 is formed with a forward edge 32, FIG. 2, of cam form, whereby, should the sliding door be closed when the latching dog 9 is in latching position, the latching dog 9 will be cammed upwardly sufliciently to permit the latching bar 9 to pass thereunder and into latching position into the circular shaped slot 21, whereafter the latching dog will be cammed into latching position.

The latching dog 9, once it has been moved into latching position, will remain in latching position by gravity until moved out of such position manually by the handle or finger piece 26. In this connection, also, it will be seen that the outer edge 33 of the notch 23 is so shaped that when the latching dog 9 is in its latching position, the outer edge 33 is disposed vertically. Thus, any attempt to slidably move the sliding door 1 to open position and consequent movement of the latching bar 8 in a horizontal direction will be resisted by the latching dog 9, inasmuch as the force exerted thereon by the latching bar 8 is in a horizontal direction and in direct line with the pivot provided by the rivet 22. Thus, there is no moment of force tending to force the latching dog 9 out of latching position.

It is to be understood that the above operation of the automatic latch is substantially the same whether the latching bar 8 is operatively mounted for sliding movement in a tubular sleeve 13a or in a modified form of a guide sleeve 13a permitting pivotal as well as sliding movement. This modification may be considered as an improvement in sliding doors over my invention with regard to gates and the like as disclosed and claimed in my copending application Ser. No. 441,949 filed Feb. 24, 1965, for an Automatic Latch and which is a continuation of applicants application Ser. No. 238,237, filed Nov. 16, 1962.

Although this invention has been particularly disclosed with respect to sliding doors of the horiozntal type, it is equally adapted for vertically sliding doors such as sectional doors of the type used in home garages and the like. However, the strike 7 when used in this manner must be mounted by fiat base portions 17 at right angles to the similarly formed fiat base portions 17. The flat base portions 17 when mounted in this manner upon the door jamb of a vertically sliding door, can be latched to the respectives latching bar 8 as has been previously described. However, if the latching dog 9 is used as described above, when the vertical sliding door is lowered into latching position, the weight of the door will move the latching dog 9 intolatching position, but it is unnecessary to release the latching dog by the finger piece 26, as the upward movement of the sliding door will unlatch the latching dog. This causes no particular problem when the vertical sliding door is properly locked by the padlock on the latching bar 8 and on the latching dog 9 as has been described. It is within the scope of the invention to modify the action of the latching dog by adding sutficient additional weight to the cam-shaped portion of the latching dog 9 to overcome the turning moment provided by the associated parts of the handle 26. Therefore, in this embodiment of the invention, it would be preferred to use a modified form of latching dog so that when the automatic latch is mounted in the door jamb by the flat base portions 17', the latching dog will function properly. It is also within the scope of the invention that the latching dog 9 may be suitably spring biased into the locking position as is well understood by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention. Other modifications may suggest themselves to one skilled in the art.

Referring to FIG. 4, FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, there will be particularly described a modified form of the embodiment described with reference to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 of an automatic latch for latching sliding doors, whether horizontally movable or vertically movable, and it may also be used for latching swingably mounted gates, doors and the like. The automatic latch 6' of this embodiment is for heavy duty use and particularly brings the strike 7' closer to a face of a sliding door and/ or closer to an edge of a door jamb in the case of a swinging gate. This embodiment also allows the latching dog 9' to be reversed for right or left hand applications. This embodiment will be particularly described with reference to a sliding door as was described with reference to the embodiment of FIG. 1, FIG. 2, and FIG. 3. Referrng to FIG. 4, the automatic latch 6' includes a modified form of striker 7 and latching dog assembly which is mounted on the door frame 2 adjacent a horizontally slidable door 1 (not shown) but similar to that as described with reference to the embodiment of FIG. 1, when the door is closed. The remainder of the latch is mounted on the door as described with reference to FIG. 1, FIG. 2, and FIG. 3 which includes particularly the latching bar 8 on the door handle construction 10. As shown, the automatic latch 6 of this embodiment includes a strike or keeper 7, a latching bar 8, a latching dog 9' and the door handle as described with respect to the embodiment of FIG.

1, FIG. 2 and FIG. 3. The automatic latch 6' preferably comprises a strike 7 formed from bar steel stock substantially 2 /2" wide having a thickness within the range of substantially A" or 3 gauge steel which may be fabricated into the L-shape as illustrated in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, having an elongated leg 19" and a shorter leg 17a. This embodiment although similar to the automatic latch 6 of FIG. 1 is of such size and shape as illustrated to withstand the strains which are set up in the opening and closing of heavy duty sliding doors and swinging doors. The leg 19" is provided with an outwardly divergent opening or notch which terminates in a substantially circular and horizontal slot 21' adapted to receive the latching bar 8 when the door is moved into closed position. In view of the fact that the opening 20' is divergent outwardly, the edges thereof provide a camming action which carries the latching bar from the dotted position 8" to the cross-section position of FIG. 5 into the circular shaped slot 21', as the door onto which it may be attached as described with reference to FIG. 1, is closed.

The latching dog 9' is pivotally mounted to a face by means of a shoulder bolt 22' extending through the leg 19" and through the latching dog 9, as particularly illustrated in FIG. 4, FIG. 5, and FIG. 6. A friction nut 36 is complementally formed to the threaded end of the shoulder bolt 22'. This construction permits the latch 6' mounted on the right door jamb 4' of the door frame 2' as viewed from the inside with the sliding door 1 moved to the right for its latching position, as compared to the latching position of FIG. 1 wherein the sliding door is moved to the left in its latching position. In order to convert the latch as shown in FIG. 4, FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, from right hand to left hand application, the strike 7 would be turned through 180 degrees and the latching dog 9 detached as shown in the position of FIG. 4, FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, and mounted on the face 35 of the strike 7 but in position as reversed 180 degrees from the position of the latching dog 9 as shown in FIG. 5. For the left hand application the handle or finger piece 26' which for a right hand application is shown at the upper left hand corner of the automatic latch 6' of FIG. 5, would be reversed so that with respect to FIG. 5 for left hand application the latching dog 9' would have the handle or finger piece 26' positioned at the lower left corner of FIG. 5. After reversing in this manner, the shoulder bolt 22' may be reinserted and afiixed in its secured position similarly as shown in FIG. 4.

In either the right hand application, as illustrated in FIG. 4, or in the left hand position, the automatic latch 6' has the shorter leg 17a afiixed to the door jamb 4' by wood lag screws 18' or similar round head screws 18 as described with reference to FIG. 1 which extend through elongated slots 37. Metal washers 38 are mounted as illustrated in FIG. 4 so that, if it is necessary to raise or lower the strike 7', the securing means 18' may be partially unscrewed and the strike 7' adjusted as desired after which the securing means 18 may be aflixed to the door jamb 4', firmly securing the automatic latch 6' in its adjusted position. This adjustment may be necessary so that the strike 7 is properly adjusted if either the sliding door should sag or the other door jamb moves or becomes otherwise out of alignment, so that the latching bar 8 when the door is closed will not properly cam the latching dog 9' to its open position permitting the latching bar 8 to enter and the latching dog 9' to latch under the actuation of gravity.

With this adjustment and also when the automatic latch 6 is properly adjusted on new construction with the securing means 18' positioned at the center of the elongated notches 37, the latching dog 9 is formed with the notch 23 outwardly from a pivot formed by the shoulder bolt 22' and positioned to receive the latching bar 8 therein. The edges on either side thereof are generally parallel, and the latching dog 9' is so positioned that when the latching dog is in its open position (not shown), the lower edge of the notch 23 is substantially in alignment with the lower edge of the opening or outwardly divergent notch 20'. Thus, when the latching bar 8 is moved into the circular shaped slot 221, a turning moment on the latching dog 9' is such that the gravity actuated latching dog 9 moves downwardly into latching position, as shown for example in FIG. 5, which also corresponds to the embodiment of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2.

The latching dog 9 is provided with an opening 24 in the portion thereof which is opposite the opening of the outwardly divergent notch 20' when the latching dog 9' is in its latching position so that the shackle or how of the padlock 25 may be passed through the opening 24 to lock the latching dog 9 in its latched position, as illustrated and described with respect to the embodiment of FIG. 1.

The latching dog 9' is also provided with a handle or finger piece 26' at its outer end by which it may be moved to an unlatched position to permit the latch to be opened. As with the embodiment shown in the dash line position of FIG. 1, when the finger piece 26' is in the raised position for unlatching the latching dog 9' from the latching bar 8, in this raised position, the finger piece 26' is so formed that when it abuts the door jamb 4', for example, it must be positively held in this position by an operators finger. Upon release of the finger piece 26, the latching dog 9 being unbalanced and under the influence of gravity automatically closes. In order to release the latching dog 9' from the latching bar 8, a positive force must be applied to the finger piece 26 to rotate the latching dog 9 out of engagement with the latching bar 8. The latching dog 9' is, however, so shaped that as the latching bar 8 moves into engagement therewith as illustrated in FIG. 5, the latching dog 9' is cammed upwardly about its pivot formed by the shoulder bolt 22. This camming movement permits the latching bar 8 to enter the circular shaped slot 21', after which the latching dog 9' under the action of gravity immediately closes and locks the latching bar 8 in its position within the automatic latch 6'.

When it is desired to padlock the door from both sides as described with reference to FIG. 1, a padlock 25 may be used for locking the latching bar 8 when passing the shackle or bow the padlock 25 through an opening 29 formed in the latching bar 8 as described with reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. 3. Likewise, a padlock 25 may be used for locking the latching dog 9 when passing the shackle or bow of the padlock 25 through an opening 24 formed in the latching dog 9', similarly as described above with reference to FIG. 1.

A hole 28 similar to the hole 28 in the embodiment of FIG. 1, is for use with a cord for lifting the latching dog 9 exteriorly of the enclosure by passing the cord through a hole in the door jamb 4' or 4 so that the latching dog may be raised to permit unlatching of the latching bar therefrom, as is well understood in the art. A stop 39 formed on the depending portion 9a of the latching dog 9' limits the return movement of the latching dog 9 under the actuation of gravity. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, this function is performed by the base of the U-shaped member 19.

This automatic latch 6' is also equally adaptable for latching vertically mounted sliding doors. When used in this manner, the portion 9a serves as a counter-balance for'returning the latching dog 9 to its latch position encircling the latching bar 8. For vertically mounted sliding doors, the face of the shorter leg 17a is suitably atfixed to the floor. contiguous to the vertically sliding doors, using conventional lag screws and securing means (not shown) for afiixing the lag screws thereto, the securing means being suitably embedded in the concrete.

It is to be understood that it is Within the scope of the invention thatalthough this embodiment has been described with reference to forming the parts thereof out of metal, such as steel in the form of A" or bar material for the latching dog 9' and A or 5 gauge bar steel for the strike 7, it is to be understood that other suitable materials may be used. Although the parts of this embodiment may be suitably fabricated by a punch press operation, it is also within the scope of the invention that the strike7 may be formed from rolled angle bars and further fabricated by punch press operations. Other methods of fabricating and materials will be suggested Within the scope of the invention to one skilled in the art.

A further description of the operation of this embodiment of FIGS. 4, 5, and 6 is believed unnecessary in view of the description with respect to the operation of the embodiment of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. In the embodiment of FIG. 4, FIG. 5- and FIG. 6, however, a construction has been described for an automatic latch which will particularly stand up in the usages of this automatic latch in horizontal slidable doors such as described with reference to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, and also in vertical movable slidable doors such as are encountered in enclosures for industrial applications.

Also as particularly disclosed, the automatic latches of this invention have been described with reference to locking the latches from both sides of the sliding door, but yet permitting entry from either side by detaching the locking device such as the padlock 25' from the latching bar 8 on the outside of the sliding door, and detaching the locking device such as the padlock 25 from the latching dog on the inside of the door. This construction is particularly adaptable where it is desired to be able to pass through a locked sliding door from either direction. However, as an example, in a garage of the home type Where entry and exit may be from within the home, if it is an attached garage, or through a separate door if it is a garage of the type separately located on the lot of a house, a modified construction may be used.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the present invention provides a simple latch mechanism of the automatic type wherein the latch Will not be damaged or rendered inoperative even by severe forces applied to the automatic latch in the operation of the slidable door either vertically or horizontally. Also, there has been provided a simple latch mechanism of the automatic type wherein the automatic latch will not be damaged or rendered inoperative even though either the door jamb or the door to which the sliding door is latched should sag.

While there has been described what are at present considered to be the preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be understood that various modifications may be made therein which are limited within the true spirit and scope of the claims as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination,

a door jamb,

a door mounted for slidable movement between an open position remote from said jamb and a closed position adjacent to said jamb,

a strike having a base portion mounting said strike on said jamb and a leg portion extending outwardly from said base portion in substantial parallel relationship with said door,

said leg portion being provided with an opening diverging away from said jamb,

a latching dog pivotally afiixed to said leg portion,

a latching bar extending through an opening in said door for disposition, when the door is in a closed position, in said opening in said leg portion for locking engagement by said dog,

means afiixed to said door enabling sliding movement of said bar in a direction transverse to the plane of said door between a first position in locking engagement with said dog and a second position out of engagement with said dog and also enabling pivotal movement of said bar in a plane transverse to the plane of said door to facilitate movement of said bar into said opening in said strike when said door is moved into a closed position, means connected between said dog and said strike for locking saiddog in a latching position, and means disposed on the side of said door opposite said strike for locking said 'bar against slidable movement outof locking engagement with said dog. 2. A door latch for holding a door of a building closed, comprising:

a keeper assembly; a latch bar assembly; one of said keeper assembly and latch bar assembly being adapted to be mounted to said building adjacent to said door when said door is closed; the other of said keeper assembly and latch bar assem bly being adapted to be mounted to said door;

said keeper assembly including a strike and a latch ing dog;

said strike having a web portion, and two spaced-apart arms extending from said web portion to define a first slot;

said latching dog including a second slot and being pivotally mounted to said strike with said first slot and said second slot intersecting and being at least partially unaligned;

said latching bar assembly including a sleeve member, a guide member, and an elongated member having a first end portion and a second end portion;

said elongated member being adapted to be positioned within said sleeve so as to have one of its first end portion and second end portion outside of said building and the other of its first end portion and second end portion within said building;

said first end portion being positioned so as to be within said first and second slots of said keeper assembly when said door is closed, whereby said latching dog is pivoted by said first end portion when said door is closed to hold said door closed;

one of said first and second arms of said latching dog including internal walls defining an aperture, whereby a padlock may be inserted through said aperture and said latching dog locked to prevent it from releasing said first end portion of said elongated body;

the second end portion of said elongated body including internal walls defining an aperture;

said elongated body being axially movable within said sleeve;

said aperture within said second end of said elongated body being located between said sleeve and said guide member, whereby the shackle of a padlock may be inserted in said aperture of said second end portion to prevent said elongated body from sliding beyond a predetermined amount therein, wherein said sleeve is tapered and mounted within said door and said keeper assembly is mounted to said building adjacent to said door;

said first end portion of said elongated body being a cylindrical bar and said second end portion being a parallelepiped passing through said guide member, whereby said parallelepiped may be grasped to move said elongated body longitudinally within said sleeve releasing said first end portion from said keeper assembly to permit said door to open;

said guide member including a longitudinal slot having a vertical axis larger than the vertical axis of said parallelepiped, said parallelepiped being inserted through said slot to permit said elongated body to pivot in a vertical plane about said tapered sleeve;

said slot of said keeper having diverging outer ends whereby said cylindrical end of said elongated body is cammed towards the center of said slot as said door closes with said elongated member pivoting 11 about said sleeve within the limits permitted by Said References Cited slot Within said guide means. 3. The door latch of claim 2 in which said guide mem- UNITED STATES PATENTS ber includes a door handle having a vertical elongated 168,525 10/1875 Peterman 292-136 portion with two arms each extending orthogonally from 5 6331008 9/1899 Jefiers 292341-17 spaced apart locations and being fastened to said door, 1,592,405 7/1926 Wofley et 292-338 said vertical slot being through said vertical elongated 1629379 5/1927 Dudas 292-133 portion. 3,094,861 6/1963 Sayles.

4. The door latch of claim 3 in which said elongated FOREIGN PATENTS body includes a pair of shoulders extending radially be- 10 yond said cylindrical portion and being positioned be- 659498 10/1951 Great Bntam' tween said cylindrical portion and said parallelepiped to MARVIN A CHAMPION Primary Examiner prevent said parallelepiped from moving through said sleeve from said first end. I. R. MOSES, Assistant Examiner. 

